


"I don't belong to anyone."

by MischievousMeh



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Ghetsis is a piece of shit, Other, Past Child Abuse, i'll link them whenever the others upload them, theres going to be two more counterparts to this, this is a companion fic!, trans! maxie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-03
Updated: 2016-04-10
Packaged: 2018-05-31 01:08:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6449452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MischievousMeh/pseuds/MischievousMeh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's not uncommon for someone to plague the world of Pokémon. Threats appear all the time, and soon are extinguished. But what if some of the more notable had children? What if those children met each other?</p><p>tl;dr the leaders of the bad teams had kids and they're going on one hell of an adventure.</p><p>(Formerly called Villains and Kids)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Reunited

**Author's Note:**

> 2216 words in the first chapter. ; v ;  
> anyway!! welcome to my first companion fic!  
> it was originally the idea of a roleplay (in which we were the villains' kids) but we didn't do shit on that.  
> (im lying, we did four posts)  
> this is through the perspective of my two characters, tim (self-insert) and persephonia
> 
> there are two companion fics, which will be listed here when they're uploaded

            The room the boy sat in was cold, though not uninviting. It, by all means, shouldn’t have been so tense. The waiting room was furnished and comfortable, but it was the atmosphere that unsettled him. He’d been sent to visit his father, Archie, whom he hadn’t seen since he was very young. The boy had been sent across the region, mostly on foot, to the other side of Hoenn, and at his destination he’d been greeted with a member of his father’s team, who led him to the lovely waiting room he sat in.

            The boy squirmed uncomfortably as the sound of waves lapping at the nearby rocks could be heard, albeit distantly. Out of land and water, he much preferred land. He often chalked it up to being raised by the leader of an organization hellbent on expanding the landmass, even if he did think that the ideology was idiotic. His bias stemmed from Maxie and both he and his father knew it. But, of course, Maxie refused to deny him visage of his other father. The boy regarded that the two had split over opinions, and certainly didn’t hate each other.

            His thoughts returned to the room. The waves had nearly drowned out the sound of the gentle clock’s ticks. The floor beneath him was tiled grey, or at least looked like tiles, though he wouldn’t be surprised if it was actually carpeting instead. The walls were a vibrant blue, as would be expected, painted with white symbols of Team Aqua. He rolled his eyes, thinking Archie _had_ to be egotistical, at least about his team.

            He’d been so lost in his thoughts, he hadn’t noticed the clacking of boots coming down the hallway. He turned his head, shooting a glance over the suave chairs, to see an odd woman in an odd outfit.

            “Tim?” She asked, seeming to already know him. His arrival must’ve been something of a shock to Archie, so it wouldn’t be surprising, from what he’d heard of the man, for him to tell a few of his co-workers. Apparently, Archie was a known blabber-mouth. At least, that’s what Maxie told him.

            However, Tim did know the woman. Tabitha had told him all about her, and in his anxiety, he memorized every detail, so that he would definitely know it was her. He nodded, flashing a small but nervous smile to Shelly.

            She let out a little laugh. Her hair fell over her eyes, though it was obscuring a good portion of her face already. She was a bit taller than he’d expected, but Tabitha hadn’t specified her height, only that she was tall. Tim, unfortunately, had Archie’s genes dictate his height. He disliked being so short. He tore his thoughts away from the source of his anxiety and looked back to the Aqua Admin in his presence.

            Shelly had a latex outfit, donning white, blue, and the team's symbol at her chest, covering most of her body. The latex covered her arms, but neglected to cover her thumbs. At the wrists on each arm was a single blue gem, presumably fake. Her shoulders were exposed, a ring of white around them. Her stomach and part of her hips and legs were visible from the design. A long, golden chain was strung around her waist. The suit continued further down, small ovular shapes where her knees were. Two protrusions of the latex suit seemed to form a fin-like appearance. The suit had boots built into it, from which the noise had previously came from. Her hair was a wild, tangled mess of black with blue highlights, mostly hidden under a swim cap with goggles.

            “Shelly, I presume?” The boy asked, in a tone that made it obvious he more than presumed – he knew.

            A grin spread across her face. “He wasn’t kidding when said that you’d be like Maxie.” Shelly mused, motioning behind her to a long hallway.

            “C’mon, kiddo, your dad is waiting.”

            Tim stood up for the first time since he’d arrived, his feet aching to take him into the unknown. Making his way around the rows of chairs, he followed Shelly down the hallway as the territory around him became much more unfamiliar. His chest ached as he walked farther down the hall, choosing to ignore the doors on either side of him as they approached a much more important-looking door.

            All the while, the boy wondered why Team Aqua was so dense. Their ideals were justifiable, but it was the way they came about it that drove him away. “ _Save the ocean. I don’t mind. But why expand it, and drown out what little land mass we have? Won’t most of us die?_ ” He thought to himself, his body having switched to autopilot. He took note of glass piping in the hallway, transporting water to a source unknown.

            When Shelly stopped, he nearly bumped into her. His perception of time wasn’t all that linear, and it often disturbed him. She opened the important-looking door, the only blue door in the hallway, with the Aqua insignia etched into its surface. He could, just before the door opened, hear the muffled voice of a man.

            The door opened to reveal a room with black floors and blue walls, not unlike Maxie’s room. ” _Their choices in design don’t differ that much. I wonder why._ ” Tim thought to himself as he examined the room. In front of him, lying on a couch, was his other father.

            Tim hadn’t expected to see Archie sprawled out on the couch, but was surprised. He had noticed the first behavior in his father that he shared. The man had snapped his head towards the door as soon as it opened. His eyes were wide, and a grin spread across his face as he realized who had been brought into the room, revealing sharp teeth.

            He was adorned in an outfit much like Shelly's. The same colors were consistent, but there were major differences. A long collar decorated the garb. It appeared zip-able, but the zipper was slid down towards his abdomen. A long golden chain with large links was around his neck, an anchor-like charm hanging at the end of it. The sides of his suit were white around where his ribs were. A belt similar to the chain around his neck rested at his waist. A small, cape like garb formed from it, looking slightly similar to a net. At the one of the arms, the latex was ripped, revealing the toned muscles of the man. A similar gem was on the opposite arm, at the wrist. Like Shelly's, the latex fit the arms, but not the thumbs. At his knees were the blue ovular shapes. Long line-like shapes of the same color stretched down to the boots, which were surprisingly plain. Small protrusions were visible in both, but unbeknownst to Tim, these were actually for flippers. A bandanna depicting Team Aqua's insignia hid his messy hair, while a rather strange beard framed his face. Some sort of x-shaped tattoo stretched across from the bridge of his nose to below his eyes.

            Shelly chuckled, urging Tim to go forward. Taking a step forward, the young boy felt his hands twitch in uncertainty. He hoped it wasn’t too visible. Attempting to calm himself, he sighed, and cleared his throat.

            “H-hello.”

            Archie had recognized his child the moment he’d walked into the room. He circled around the table, in a way Tim would’ve thought nearly menacing, before sweeping the boy up in his arms and hugging him tightly.

            “I’m so glad to see you again.” Archie murmured, his embrace unfaltering.

            The surprise of the sudden hug had left Tim reeling, still unsure how to feel of his father, his face a mix of emotions. He was glad Archie couldn’t see it. Shelly, on the other hand, very much could, and he watched her attempt to stifle her laughter. She made a motion at him with her hands, and he understood. He hadn’t realized he hadn’t been hugging the older man back, but it was definitely due to shock.

            Bringing his arms up to wrap around the other, he tried to imagine how hugging a person normally worked. Sure, he’d been hugged before. Mostly by Tabitha and Maxie, but that came natural to him. He wasn’t quite sure how exactly to hug someone willingly. But, he’d try his best. He felt tears brimming at his eyes, and he couldn’t tell if it was because he was nervous, or the thrill of seeing the man he’d been so afraid of meeting.

            He’d anticipated this day for years, and now, here he was. He had previously worried whether or not Archie would love him, or even remember him. But Tim realized, in the man’s arms, that his fears were unfounded. He truly had nothing to worry about. He felt his eyes closing without his permission, tears slowly streaking down his face as he rested his head against his father’s shoulder.

            When he opened his eyes again, Shelly was smiling at him, and then stood up a bit straighter. “I’m gonna leave you two to your reunion. I have a mission, after all.” She piped up, offering Tim a polite smile, before exiting the room.

* * *

 

            Persephonia had always been a girl of action. It was a trait passed on from her father, whom she hated more than anything. Her other siblings were much more lenient of him, though Persephonia refused to be soft. She despised that man more than anything, and always would. She supposed that was why, after suffering from all of his abuse, that when she learned of what he’d planned for the world with her brother, she knew she had to stop him.

            She, and all of her siblings, were adopted. That was a fact she knew to be true. She often wondered if that was why Ghetsis hated them so much. Even thinking of his name left a bitter taste in her mouth.

            She sat on the rooftop, with the dark skies above her camouflaging her. Persephonia was clad in black and teal – her usual disguise when she fled out into the ‘real world.’ The mask covering her face was darker than the teal of her jacket, a devilish face scratchily drawn on with permanent marker beneath the horns. Her green hair was pulled back, and hidden underneath a beanie. She watched the streets below through the mask, her red eyes examining it for any signs of her father.

            Persephonia was allowed to go out, which is a lot more than she could say for her sisters, Concordia and Anthea. She didn’t understand her father’s reasoning, but she didn’t question it. She knew it was unfair – he was always unfair to Concordia and Anthea. Persephonia was lucky enough, to even rarely be on her father’s good side was a special skill. But it seemed Ghetsis just _really_ had it out for her sisters. He didn’t see them as his children, only as burdens. Burdens with a function that he needed. N, her brother, was the only good child in her father’s eyes, and even then, he would still hurt him.

            Her eyes subconsciously drifted to the bruises on her own arms, and she hurriedly covered them with the sleeves. Turning back to the street, she narrowed her eyes when she saw a mess of gray-green hair. Persephonia recognized the man bearing robes to be her father. His followers trailed behind him, some carrying flags, and she soon realized his intentions were another sermon. She scoffed at the thought, for he believed nothing he said.

            Soon, the sermon was set-up, and Ghetsis was calling to each passerby he saw. “Pokémon are our allies,” he shouted, beginning as usual, “so why should we imprison them? Look at them! Their lives are so limited! Do you truly believe that they enjoy being confined?” A crowd began to form in front of him, prompting Persephonia to shake her head.

            Ghetsis made a wide, sweeping motion with his hands as he continued his speech. She caught a glimpse of his metal arm. Persephonia grinned, remembering exactly how he’d been _disarmed._ It had been her fault, after all, so a grin was the least of how she felt about the event. She even looked to it with a fondness.

            It had been during one of his sermons, much like the one occurring then, that she’d managed to find him. It was the first of many sermons she would see, and as disgusted as she was with him, she would knock over the scaffolding on the building above him. It was surprising he only lost his arm, and not his life, but it was better than nothing. No one had seen her on the roof opposing the one that previously bore scaffolding, and the police didn’t pursue the issue very far. They blamed it, on record, on unsafe conditions caused by a construction crew.

            Persephonia didn’t mind. That wasn’t any of her concern, and though she might’ve caused many people their jobs, she was doing them a bigger favor.  She wasn’t out to be a hero, she was out to foil the plots of her mad father, who believed it was best if he owned the world, and everything in it.


	2. Torn Apart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim discovers what should've been.  
> Persephonia leaves her siblings behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i might have lied about more archie  
> it's planned, okay??? i just thought of a better idea for an update  
> ft. a very empty tim, and a very upset persephonia  
> sorry perse's part is so short ; -;

            The day had passed hurriedly, with Tim learning more about his father and Team Aqua’s end goal. He still found it ridiculous, but held his tongue, not wanting to hurt his father’s fragile feelings. Well, he assumed them fragile, at least. But Archie wasn’t entirely what he expected. Maxie didn’t give him enough credit. He was an excellent leader, and that was clear from the way his team regarded him.

            Tim had been escorted, when the light of day grew dim, to a room of his own. The boy hadn’t expected it, and it made him feel strange. He also didn’t expect that he would be taken to his room by a tall, muscular man named Matt. Matt was, by Tim’s understanding, the other Aqua admin. In his honest opinion, the boy just saw him as a big, endearing doof. Maxie probably wouldn’t have cared much for him, but Tim was having the time of his life.

            “Little Maxie, we’re almost there!” Matt grinned, looking over his shoulder. ‘Little Maxie’ had been a nickname he’d granted Tim. It was definitely due to how similar he was in appearance to the Magma Leader, and he didn’t mind that.

            Matt had joked all the way down the hallway, blabbing on about his boss, and how Shelly was scary when she was angry, and how the grunts could be some of the laziest workers he’d ever seen, and how much he adored them anyway. Tim didn’t mind listening – that was something he excelled at. Eventually, the lumbering man in front of him shot him a grin and motioned him forward.

            The door at the main end of the hall, which he hadn’t seen before as a result of Matt being so tall, was solid white. It was unlike any other doors he’d seen around the base, and he’d seen them all. Archie had insisted he get a grand tour of the facility, albeit Tim knew that was absolutely a horrible idea, considering he could easily memorize it and tell Maxie. But he wouldn’t. He felt Archie knew that. The door in front of him bore two symbols in simple blue and red. He knew them instantly. Magma and Aqua.

            “ _How long has this room been here?_ ” The boy wondered, but didn’t ask. His brows furrowed together as he took slow and small steps forward, reaching his hand out to touch it. Tim rested his hand on the door, closing his eyes for a moment, and taking it in. This door had to have been made before the split. Or maybe Archie had the decency not to ignore that there was a possibility he’d lean more into Magma? Whatever the case, the boy opened his eyes and looked over his shoulder, confused.

            Matt grinned widely. “Yeah, little man, it’s yours. I don’t even know what’s in there! No one’s ever been allowed in! My bro never let anyone in there because it was special.”

            Tim turned back to the door. “C-can you do me a solid, Matt?” He asked, his eyes fixated firmly on the two symbols. His heart was beating rapidly and he was so afraid to enter, as if it wasn’t his right to, that the room was never to be touched. But at the same time, he was eager to enter, to discover what had been withheld from him, from everyone for all those years.

            “What is it, Little Maxie?”

            “Tell my dad I said ‘thanks.’” That was the first time Tim had ever called Archie his dad. That’s the first time Tim had ever called _anyone_ his dad. He always referred to Maxie as his father, but the word ‘dad’ was too casual to even cross his mind when he thought of Maxie.

            Matt nodded, some sort of twinkle in his eye as he laughed a bit, waved farewell to the boy, and departed to deliver the message.

            The boy inhaled, puffed his chest out, and opened the door. The room was entirely dark, so much so that the murky blackness could’ve comforted him. He felt around for a light switch, but was unable to find one. On the other side of the room, perhaps? He closed the door behind him, and suddenly, the room was alit.

            It was magnificent. The floor was black, plush carpet, and Tim could tell without even touching it that it was as soft as a Whimsicott. The walls were painted red and blue, red on the right and blue on the left, and at the front and back walls, the colors met in a perfect line against each other. Not a single part of the line was uneven. The light above him glowed softly, and he was unable to tell what was powering it. He didn’t dwell on it for much longer. There was a laptop on the desk, slightly to the side of the center. A dresser sat on the front wall, as well as a high-definition flat screen television on top of an entertainment stand. There were drawers in the stand, but Tim wasn’t quite ready to check them. Instead, he found himself edging closer to a closet he’d only barely noticed.

            The boy opened the door without hesitation. And then, his heart fell. Hanging, in front of numerous stuffed dolls, photo albums, and plushie Pokémon, was a baby mobile. It had a top shaped like the top of a circus tent, save for the small hanger attached. The top was red and blue striped, with black and white strings hanging down from it. Attached to the end of the strings were several tiny Carvanha and Numel. Tim didn’t realize he’d turned the mobile until he heard a soothing tune playing. It was old, but it still worked, and looked nearly new. Mint condition, even. The boy realized that had meant it hadn’t been used much. His heart ached, yearned even for something to distract him from it. But he couldn’t look away. He felt tears, once again, brimming in his eyes.

            He brought a sleeve up to his face, wiping them away before he could cry again. He saw himself as meek in that moment, but supposed that was only due to his overwhelming absence. The real tragedy was one he never noticed, was it not? Archie clearly wasn’t the only one to work on the room. That mobile wasn’t one they just picked up anywhere. The whole room screamed to him that Maxie had a hand in it all, too, and that hurt. They were happy and excited to have a child of their very own, so much so that the child got a single room different from any other room in the base, albeit it was in Team Aqua’s base. They worked hard on that room. The stuff neatly filed away in the closet was a result of their love. Tim felt, in that moment, so very empty.

            Tim knelt down, picking up a photo album. He opened it, and the first pictures he saw were of a hospital room. He could recognize Maxie in a hospital bed, with a look much younger than he held currently. The boy wondered what had aged him so quickly. He recognized Archie, smiling down a swaddled baby, looking almost to cry himself. There was a picture of Tabitha holding the camera in front of himself while he leaned in front of Archie. There was a picture of Shelly, holding the very same sleeping baby. No one was fighting. Everyone was happy, celebrating a new child. That child, Tim knew, was himself.

            He flipped through page after page, going on an adventure that he never imagined he would. After all, Maxie was never sentimental. Or, at least he tried not to be. Tim often caught glimpse of the blue cloth hanging from his pocket, when Maxie forgot to tuck it in. He looked through his early life. The book ended with his first birthday.

            Tim reached for another one, opening it. After flipping through it, he couldn’t stop himself from crying. The book wasn’t complete. The album stopped halfway through, with an image of the infant tugging off Archie’s bandana.  The rest of the pages were blank. None of the other albums had been filled.

            The boy let out a long, dragged-out sigh. It was too much for him. He closed the closet, and turned back to the desk. He hadn’t noticed the note before, and sat down in the swivel chair beneath the desk to read it.

_Dear… ~~Well, whatever your name is by this point.~~   **Tim.**_

_If you’re reading this, that means you must’ve come to see me._

_This is your room. I think you’ll know that, though, so I won’t waste your time._

_If you even have to ask, I love you. I’ll always love you no matter what. Who you are, who you’re into, whatever. ~~Unless they’re an asshole. I’ll kick their ass to hell and back.~~_

_This note has been sitting here and waiting for you for a long time._

_Max and I decided that, if you ever come looking for your other dad, it was time for you to start a long overdue journey._

_You’ll find a Pokéball under your bed. Don’t worry, it doesn’t have a Pokémon in it._

_You’ll get one soon._

_\- Aqua Dad (Archie)  
  
_ _(P.S. I’m not trying to kick you out, this was your other dad’s decision!)_

* * *

 

 

            She sighed, staring at the ceiling of her room. Persephonia wondered how the ceiling ever got that pattern, where it seemed patchy in places and it stuck out like paint that didn’t dry correctly.

            A gentle rapping came at her door, and she arose. Throwing her blanket off of her and her legs over the other side of the bed, she made her way to the door quietly, cracking it open. It was only Concordia.

            “ Perse? Can I come in?” She asked, her voice sweet and gentle, as it always was.

            “Of course, sister.” Persephonia answered, opening the door. She flicked the light on, illuminating her small room.

            Concordia took a seat on Persephonia’s bed, waiting for her sister to sit beside her. Her eyes were serious, her expression stern.

            Persephonia felt concerned. She almost regretted letting her sister into her room, though it was an almost. She never wanted her sister to feel unwanted in her presence. Persephonia always wished to welcome her siblings with open arms. “What is it, Concordia? You seem upset.”

            “Perse… Anthea and I… Well, we think you should get away from here.” Her voice was cold, and Persephonia’s were wide and her mouth suddenly agape.

            “Leave?” She echoed, “But why?” Her hands were trembling, and she felt cold. Had she ever felt so rejected by the ones she loved?

            “You have to get away from Ghetsis. He has use for us, but… We have not seen a set use for you. We fear for you. What if he hurts you again? What if it gets worse?”

            And with that, Persephonia left her family, determined to take down her ‘father’ more than ever. With a heavy heart, she chose to travel, and would return when she could finally vanquish the beast who plagued her siblings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the parts that are striked out were striked out by archie  
> mostly because the letter was written a long time ago, around the time archie and maxie split  
> and because maxie wouldn't let archie curse to their child  
> (btw, tim is demiboy/agender, dfab)


	3. Request Granted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim decides that maybe sticking around for a while isn't that bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most of the chapter is filler, as always ; -;  
> I'm sorry for the late update!! sticking to a schedule is difficult  
> 1,5?? words

            Tim was on his knees, having dropped the note back onto the desk as he grasped under the bed for the promised Pokéball. The sphere rolled around under his palm as his fingers curled around it, whisking it out from the darkness beneath the bed.

            It was like no other Pokéball he’d ever seen before. The typical Pokéball was red on the top half, and white on the bottom half. There was a strip of dark grey spanning across the center of the ball, giving way to a button in the exact center of the front. This ball, alternatively, was nearly entirely white. The dark grey strip was instead a bright blue, and the button had a little blue circle on it, as well. On the top half, there was an outline of the Team Aqua insignia in the same blue as the strip.

            The boy wondered if the ball he held in his hand was just repainted to be Aqua-themed, or if Team Aqua had successfully created their own Pokéball. He pressed the button, the sphere enlarging in size to be easily held. His eyes stayed upon it for a while, and before he could go ask about it, he heard the gentle ticking coming from a clock.

            Tim looked over at the time, surprised to see it was already 12:32. He supposed that his journey through memory lane wasn’t as quick as he thought it had been. Sighing, he changed into his pajamas, and decided it would be best to go to sleep for the night. When morning came, he’d have to see Archie about that note. But for now, he folded his glasses and placed them on the desk beside him neatly. After a while of being confused how the lights in the room worked, Tim clapped, and the room was again shrouded in darkness. He drifted to sleep with the peculiar Pokéball still in his hand.

* * *

 

            When morning came, he was awoken by a knocking at his door. Tim stayed there for a moment, unsure if he was half-asleep and it was merely an element of one of his dreams, before opening his eyes. He blinked for a bit, yawned, and wiped sleep from his eyes before he heard a voice from behind the door.

            “Tim? It’s Shelly.”

            Tim threw his legs over the side of the bed, his feet touching the soft carpet beneath him, providing a sudden delight that he hadn’t quite anticipated. He made his way over to the door and opened it. The familiar face of the tall woman was the first thing he noticed. She didn’t look too concerned, nor like it was serious business that caused her to be in his presence.

            “Shelly?” The boy echoed, his eyes still reflecting his drowsy state.

            “Mmhm!” She responded, a polite smile crossing her features. “Archie’s still asleep, but last night, he wanted me to tell you that if you want, you could have breakfast with him.”

            Tim wasn’t sure how to reply at first – after all, how would you respond in such a situation? Your dad, whom you barely know, sent right hand lady to ask you, in his place, if you’d have breakfast with him. He didn’t mull it over for too long, however. He tried to be quick with his decisions.

            “I’ll be there,” The words escaped him before he realized that he’d even coherently thought out what he’d say.

            She seemed satisfied with that answer, but she didn’t make much of an effort hiding her curiosity. Her eyes roamed the room behind him, taking in what she, too, had been denied access of for years. Tim couldn’t tell her opinion of the room from her face. When her attention came back to him, he hoped she didn’t notice he’d been staring.

            “Ahah, sorry about that, kiddo. I just wondered what the room looked like.” Tim didn’t think she’d address her own actions, but was pleasantly surprised. Honesty was a value he admired, mostly due to his inability to keep it for too long.

            “Eh, it’s okay. Perfectly understandable, from my perspective.” He responded.

            Shelly nodded, a brow raised and a smile donning her face. “Just like Maxie.” She murmured, shaking her head, before departing.

            Tim, unsure of how to react, narrowed his eyes by a small margin, and closed the door. He threw on a clean pair of clothes, and decided that, perhaps, it was best if he wandered the facility for a while.

* * *

 

            The boy had just finished a conversation with a group of grunts, some new and others older team members, when his attention was taken by the figure of Matt in the distance, waving a hand towards him. The grunts grinned, and Tim noticed the true difference between Team Aqua and Magma in that moment. It wasn’t their goals, or at least, not entirely. If Tabitha had addressed the grunts of Magma, they would’ve drained the emotion from their faces and stood up taller. Team Aqua was so much more relaxed and comfortable, and as Tim saw it, more of a family than a business.

            It almost made him question how exactly they worked together. Almost. But his thoughts dissipated as the muscular admin approached.

            “Little Maxie!” He called, beckoning Tim with a hand. Tim stood, making his way through the group of grunts, receiving playful slaps on his back and shoulders as he passed them. “Archie’s up, little bro!” He clarified, loudly, as the boy approached him.

            Tim found himself walking into Archie’s office again, and couldn’t help himself from wondering if grunts were ever allowed inside. He wasn’t too certain where the sudden grunt mindset came from, but didn’t think about it too much. Was Archie as close to his grunts as Matt was? If grunts did ever get called to his office, were they nervous? Or were they just as relaxed as they were with Matt?

            The boy had so many questions, and too little time to even think of asking them. Not like he would ask, of course. Those were things he preferred to only wonder, and maybe learn on his own. He entered Archie’s room, not at all surprised to see the sharp-toothed man grinning up at him. He was more surprised, in fact, to see that his dad had already set a plate of pancakes in front of what Tim perceived to be his seat.

            “Mornin’, Timmy!” Archie greeted, thankfully not noticing the way his son’s face scrunched up in disgust. Tim realized, at that moment, he hated being called Timmy. Timothy wasn’t that bad, Tim was preferred, but _Timmy_ was undoubtedly the worst.

            “Guten morgen,” The boy responded, not stopping to consider that maybe his dad didn’t know German. He, in turn, didn’t notice the way Archie’s eyes had widened. He sat down, picking up the fork that lay out for him neatly and prodded the top pancake of the pile with it.

            “So, I assume ya found the letter?” The leader asked, his voice less chipper than it previously was. He nearly sounded sad. But in that sadness, Tim could tell there was something else bubbling up. Excitement? Pride? Perhaps both.

            Tim nodded, cutting the top pancake into fourths, and then eighths. He wasn’t sure what to say, his brain flooded with possible ways to respond but none of them seeming to have a pleasant outcome. One even included stabbing Archie with the fork, and Tim didn’t know where it came from, but absolutely hated that thought in particular.

            “Aye, I could see the Aqua Ball on yer belt.” The leader responded through a mouthful of food. Courtesy was nothing to this man, apparently, and the boy smiled a bit. Maxie was always scolding him for doing the exact same thing the man across from him was doing, and he had just thought a very ‘Maxie’ thought to think.

            “Hmm.” Tim made a noise of acknowledgement.

            “So, when do ya want to leave? Not that I’m pressurin’ ya, ‘course, but I hear ya haven’t been able to really explore the world as ya should yet.”

            The boy thought for a moment. He preferred to stay with Archie for a little while longer, at least. He’d just met him, after all, and wasn’t quite ready to leave the new friends that he’d managed to find in Shelly and Matt. Tim bit into a slab of pancake that he’d impaled with the utensil.

            “Hm. Would… Would two weeks be okay?” He asked, his voice quiet. He didn’t like admitting he felt small in the presence of Archie. He should be comforted by his presence, if anything, but he was still a stranger.

            A laugh rumbled up from deep within the other man’s throat. The boy wasn’t sure what he’d said so amusing, but smiled politely to mask his anxiety. “That’d be fine,” Archie said, when his laughter finally died out, “no problem at all, kid.”

             The rest of their time at breakfast was shared with soft conversations about the past, and how Maxie had been, and what it was like on the way to the base. Tim had dictated himself two weeks to be in the company of his dad, and maybe that was okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ft. pirate dad, trying his best  
> we wont be seeing persephonia for a while, bc im building up tension for when she comes back into importance lmao

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for the support, if you read this! c:  
> also be sure to check out the companion fics, which will be listed at the beginning of the chapter when they're uploaded!


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